HUNTINGTON – Yes, there is a way you “can” help Marshall reach the top of Conference USA this week.

Really, the Marshall Student-Athlete Advisory Committee isn’t so much focused on winning in this week’s effort, but if the Thundering Herd can do it, it’s going to really help some needy people.

It’s what you might call a potential “win-win-win” situation.

The Marshall SAAC’s third annual canned food drive – in conjunction with the “Let’s SAAC Hunger” program, a C-USA community-service initiative -- is underway here and runs through Saturday.

All proceeds from the Herd drive will go to the Huntington Area Food Bank.

All 12 SSAC organizations at Conference USA schools are conducting similar drives. The Herd’s committee is comprised of two student-athletes from each intercollegiate sport at MU.

“It would be great to win the competition, but that’s not the most important thing, obviously,” said Herd senior softball star outfielder Ashley Gue, who is president of the SAAC at MU. “We know how fortunate we are as student-athletes, what we have, how good we have it.

“There are people who are a lot less fortunate, people who go without food and shelter. That’s the main focus with this canned food drive. We’d like to win, but first and foremost, we want to help.”

Herd basketball fans can take part and see the Marshall men play twice, too. Fans who drop off a canned food item at the Henderson Center pregame tonight and Saturday (6 p.m.-until just past tipoff) may purchase a general admission ticket to the MU games for $5 (half price).

The Herd faces Morehead State tonight and UNC Wilmington on Saturday, with both games at 7 p.m. SAAC committee members will be accepting cans at all four entrances to “The Cam.”

The SAAC will also be accepting cans Thursday from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Kroger store at Seventh Avenue and 1st Street. There also is a dropoff point in the Student Center manned by SAAC members from 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. through Friday.

Gue said monetary donations will be accepted as well as canned food. She said any money contributed will be used to purchase canned goods. All the cans will be turned over to the Food Bank, which will weigh the contribution and notify Marshall’s SAAC the monetary value of what’s been donated.

Then, Conference USA tallies the results.

If you drop off a can, you get a reduced-price basketball ticket. You can help the Herd make a statement in C-USA in this season of giving … and you can help put food on someone’s table. Everybody wins.